Tychonik continues scoring run

The Penticton Vees (29-9-2-3) had to wait until their seventh power play of the game to find the back of the net, but it couldn’t have come at a better time as Jonny Tychonick let a one-timer go from the slot over the glove of Adam Marcoux to give the Vees a 3-2 win over the Trail Smoke Eaters (26-14-4-1).

Fans in Pink cheer on their team Saturday at the South Okanagan Events Centre Saturday. (Mark Brett/Western News)

This was also the annual Pink in the Rink game for the Vees, with the team sporting pink on their jersey and fans encouraged to wear pink articles of clothing to promote anti-bullying.

Penticton opened the scoring in the first period when Cassidy Bowes jumped on the rebound of a Jackson Keane shot. It was Bowes’ second goal in three games since returning from injury.

Just under four minutes later, Bowes found himself on a two-on-one rush with Massimo Rizzo. Rizzo skated down the right wing and tried to send the puck across to Bowes, but it deflected off the leg of Smoke Eater Trever Zins, who then accidentally swatted the puck into his own net.

Ryan Sandelin had an excellent opportunity to make it a 3-0 lead early in the second but his wrist shot from the right circle hit the crossbar over Marcoux’s glove.

While the Vees had gone 0-for-4 on the man advantage, Trail got their first power play of the game late in the second period and capitalized. Ross Armour found Jeremy Lucchini in the slot and he fired a wrist shot under the glove of Adam Scheel to cut it down to a 2-1 game with under a minute remaining in the second.

Massimo Rizzo puts this shot into the net to give the Penticton Vees a 2-0 lead in the first period of Saturday’s BC Hockey League game against the Trail Smoke Eaters. (Mark Brett/Western News)

As the pace of play ramped up in the third, Penticton was given two more power plays in the third and had a goal waved off. Jackson Keane jammed home a loose puck in the crease, but the official couldn’t see the puck as he was positioned on the other side of the net and waved the goal off after the puck went in.

It proved costly for the Vees as Armour then deflected in a shot from the blue line to tie the game with just 3:19 remaining in regulation, setting the stage for overtime between the two teams for the second straight matchup.

Just 25 seconds into the extra frame, Lucchini was called for interference after taking Chris Klack to the ice following a Vees chance on goal.

On the power play, Owen Sillinger set up Tychonick for a one timer from the slot, which hit the crossbar and went into the net to give the Vees the 3-2 win, improving to 7-0-0-1 in January. Tychonick now has goals in three straight games.

Penticton now has a week of practice before getting set for a three-game road trip to the Sunshine Coast and Vancouver Island. Friday the Vees will take on the Powell River Kings before games against the Cowichan Valley Capitals Saturday and Victoria Grizzlies Sunday afternoon.